Faith is mysticism?

I like one the definitions ollie (13th century-reply #4, 2a-2)
posted, of Faith; of all of them this may be the one that really stands out.

Complete TRUST

Faith is the noun, while believe is the verb, of the same root word.

Believe in its simplest form begins with "trust".

As I indicated before, "trust" is to believe without commitment. Anyone can believe, without commiting oneself to whatever the object of the "trust" is.

In considering this one can see this clearly, in what Abram did, when God appeared to him he first time in Ur of the Chaldees at the age of 75 yrs of age, (Gen 12:1-4), and in Chapter 17:1-8, the word of God recalls the events of Gen 15:1-21.

Abram was 99 years old according to Gen 17:1 when God appeared to Abram the second time (according to the written record).

And it was here (Gen 15), where his belief was accounted to him for righteousness, and where God made a promises to him, and a covenant, sealed in blood, the sign of circumcision, and changed his name to Abraham.

While it can be said that Abraham did "believe with commitment" when he traveled to the land, with all his possesions , not so, at the begining of the 14 years which elapsed between the time God appeared to him the first time in Ur and the time He appeared to him in Canaan.

Clearly during the years he spent in Haran, Abraham simply trusted Gods word, but did it without commiting himself.

Approximately 15 to 17 years after this God "tested" Abraham.
(Gen 22:1-18)

And because the Apostle Paul writes Romans 4 and Hebrews 11 and James 2, we come to this perfect understanding the in this "trial" (test), Abraham, who already believed God, had his "belief" (the verb or) works justified.

Now, Abraham did not produce this Faith (the noun or name, of "belief") of himself, it was not, a product of any worldly knowledge nor instinct as willowbirch has acknowledged as unbased FAITH.

It was the result of Gods word calling Abram personally (we hear nothing of God speaking to anyother indivdual in his household) which acoomplished this in Abrahams life.

He simply trusted God, and this simple belief turned into full blown FAITH (which is defined as to believe with commitment), this is the work of God.

He has sworn by HIMSELF (Gen 22:16-17), His word is going forth, and will accomplish His purpose; this is why the Word tells us;

Rom 8
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Rom 3
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Abraham is used as the example, of how, God worked in Abraham's life to bring him, to perfect FAITH, and God justified him, when He was tested, Abraham produced the work of God his FAITH, which was in Jesus.

Moses, like Abraham, Chose......... rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Heb 11:25-26

And all this is written for us, who believe, that we might have the same strong consolation and know the immutability of His counsel;

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (Heb 6:18-19)

God Bless,

Petro